WASHINGTON - In a surprise announcement that comes on the heels of news that the outgoing Majority Leader, Richard Armey (R-TX), is considering consulting for the American Civil Liberties Union, the group said today that it also plans to hire conservative firebrand Bob Barr (R-GA) to work on informational and data privacy issues.

"Rep. Barr and the ACLU disagree on many other issues, but we have no doubt that a strange bedfellows collaboration between us will yield great things for informational and data privacy rights," said Laura W. Murphy, Director of the ACLU's Washington Legislative Office.

ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero said that Barr's agreement to work with the ACLU "demonstrates how deeply concerns about personal privacy cut across partisan lines." He noted that the ACLU has "no permanent friendsand no permanent enemies, just permanent values."

"We look forward to working with Congressman Barr in our fight to protect data and information privacy," Romero said.